Stopping the Sand Mining @GullahGeechee

Gullah/Geechee Nation ♦ February 16, 2021 ♦ Leave a comment

During 2020 a massive on-slaught of requests to sand mine hit the Gullah/Geechee Nation‘s coast. Currently, the folks in Huger, SC are working on the issue there, the Daufuskie Island case is awaiting its turn at mediation and in court, Horry County, SC seems to be welcoming this in spite of many people in that county being in opposition to it, and now enters Awendaw, SC!

King Tract LLC in Atlanta, GA requested a permit to mine 1,300 acres adjacent to the Francis Marion National Wildlife Refuge and was appropriately DENIED the permit. So, they did what most destructioneers that come to the Gullah/Geechee Nation‘s coast do-take it to court. Prior to getting to court, the zoning appeals boards of incorporated towns and the counties get courted by attorneys to have closed door “mediations” to see if they can sway the decision and get them turned in their favor. Well, the case in Awendaw is a textbook example of this.

The Town of Awendaw is currently not intending to have the residents of Awendaw that have consistently opposed permitting this sand mining to be in an upcoming meeting between them and King Tract LLC. The mining site is on a historic tract of land that encompasses what were once three Carolina Gold rice plantations that enslaved Africans that are the ancestors of Gullah/Geechees labored on. To learn more about the layers of the Gullah/Geechee legacy that are being dug up because of this situation, tune into the latest episode of Gullah/Geechee Riddim Radio: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/gullahgeechee/2021/02/16/layers-of-black-history-gullahgeechee-and-the-battle-to-protect-land-legacy

Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) and the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition (www.GullahGeechee.net) are standing with the citizens of Awendaw, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation in OPPOSITION to this sand mine as they are in the case of Daufuskie Island, SC. These sand mines continue to cause environmental degradation, destruction of Gullah/Geechee historic and sacred spaces and the drainage from them contaminates the local waterways. While the Gullah/Geechee Nation continues its climate action efforts which include increasing people’s knowledge and awareness of negative environmental impacts of climate change include ocean acidification, the last thing that is needed is for acid to enter the waterways due to sand mining!

The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition is calling on supporters worldwide to sign the petition to STOP the King Tract Sand Mine in Awendaw, SC. We MUST have the signatures in by Wednesday, February 17, 2021 before the Town of Awendaw closes public comments on this matter. Please sign and share the petition TODAY:

http://chng.it/YHvSqFZWk8

Tenki Tenki fa standin wid we @GullahGeechee! WE hafa hold pun we land & legacy!

Please consider being a member and/or supporter of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition www.GullahGeechee.net. You can obtain membership at www.GullahGeechee.biz.

Also, donations to the Gullah/Geechee Land & Legacy Fund can be made via CashApp to $GullahGeecheeNation or via GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/gullahgeechee-land-amp-legacy-fund . Tenki Tenki fa hep we hold pun we land & legacy!